U.S. patent application number 14/309301 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-24 for illuminated display mirror.
The applicant listed for this patent is JOHN A. COLE. Invention is credited to JOHN A. COLE.
Application Number | 20150371569 14/309301 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54870187 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150371569 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
COLE; JOHN A. |
December 24, 2015 |
ILLUMINATED DISPLAY MIRROR
Abstract
An illuminated display mirror includes a frame having panel
receiving area defined by a front retaining portion and a side
retaining portion extending rearwardly from the front retaining
portion, a transparent panel to be held within said panel receiving
area and having a highly reflective coating at least partially on a
surface thereof and at least part of the surface free of any
reflective coating and defining an image receiving area, and having
a registration indicia, a light transmissive substrate having a
printed image thereon and having a corresponding registration
indicia formed thereon for registering the printed image in the
image receiving area and a light emitting member.
Inventors: |
COLE; JOHN A.; (Springboro,
OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
COLE; JOHN A. |
Springboro |
OH |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54870187 |
Appl. No.: |
14/309301 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F 13/18 20130101;
G09F 13/08 20130101; G09F 13/14 20130101; G09F 13/12 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G09F 13/12 20060101
G09F013/12; F21S 4/00 20060101 F21S004/00; G09F 13/18 20060101
G09F013/18; G09F 13/08 20060101 G09F013/08; G09F 13/14 20060101
G09F013/14; F21V 7/22 20060101 F21V007/22; F21V 33/00 20060101
F21V033/00 |
Claims
1. An illuminated display mirror, which includes: a frame having
panel receiving area defined by a front retaining portion and a
side retaining portion extending rearwardly from the front
retaining portion; a transparent panel of a size and configuration
to be held within said panel receiving area and having a highly
reflective coating at least partially on a surface thereof and at
least part of the surface free of any reflective coating and
defining an image receiving area and when said transparent panel is
held within said frame, a registration indicia formed on a
perimeter surface area of said transparent panel, said registration
indicia is covered by the front retaining portion; a paint disposed
upon part of the a back of a light transmissive substrate on a
second surface free of said reflective coating; and a light
emitting member connected to said side retaining portion rearwardly
of said transparent panel and said light transmissive
substrate.
2. The illuminated display mirror of claim 1, wherein said light
emitting member is an LED strip.
3. The illuminated display mirror of claim 2, which includes an
opaque back panel disposed rearwardly of said light emitting
member.
4. The illuminated display mirror of claim 3, wherein said opaque
member includes a reflective coating to reflect light from said
light emitting member back toward said transparent panel and said
light transmissive substrate.
5. (canceled)
6. The illuminated display mirror of claim 1, in which said second
surface free of said reflective coating is formed by masking or
back-etching to define customer-specific information within said
region.
7. The illuminated display mirror of claim 1, in which said highly
reflective coating comprises an optically reflective agent.
Description
[0001] This is a divisional which claims priority of U.S. Patent
Application Ser. No. 13/962,794 filed Aug. /08, 2013.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to displays, and more
particularly, to an illuminated mirror display for advertising.
[0004] 2. Background of the Invention
[0005] Mirrors for advertising have long existed. Many of these
prior art devices use a combination of decal or print on a mirror
to create a desired commercial effect. The notion is to use visual
attributes of reflective surfaces as a base upon which to apply
product images, slogans, and logos, for example.
[0006] One prior system as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,386,
discloses a mirror and graphics display system includes a sheet of
substantially transparent material having a silvered or reflective
region and a sheet of translucent material having a graphic. The
system includes a substantially planar illumination element secured
to the translucent material and also in optical communication with
the transparent and translucent materials.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,223 discloses a device for causing a
plurality of images having different optical characteristics to
appear through a continuous mirrored screen. This teaches a
partially transparent mirrored screen extending continuously over a
preselected area and containing a distribution of reflective
material which varies in optical density to define regions of
differing optical transmittance to light.
[0008] While these prior techniques have met with some success,
there remains a need for improvement. There exists a need in the
art for an advertising mechanism which combines visual attributes
of a mirror with a printed indicia and lighting element to provide
a unique visual effect with an improved quality in appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the invention to improve displays of the
type incorporating a mirror.
[0010] It is another object to improve advertising by use of a
mirror and graphic in a unique illuminated frame.
[0011] Accordingly, the instant invention is directed to an
illuminated display mirror. The mirror has a frame having panel
receiving area defined by a front retaining portion and a side
retaining portion extending rearwardly from the front retaining
portion.
[0012] A transparent panel is provided of a size and configuration
to be held within the panel receiving area and has a highly
reflective coating at least partially on a surface thereof and at
least part of the surface free of any reflective coating and
defining an image receiving area, and further includes a perimeter
surface area free of any reflective coating. A registration indicia
is formed on the perimeter surface area as a function of the image
receiving area and when the transparent panel is held within the
frame, the indicia is covered by the front retaining portion.
[0013] A light transmissive substrate is provided having a printed
image thereon, the substrate of a size and configuration to be held
within the panel receiving area adjacent the transparent panel and
a has perimeter surface area having a corresponding registration
indicia formed thereon for registering the printed image in the
image receiving area and when the light transmissive substrate is
held within the frame the corresponding registration indicia and
registration indicia mate and are covered by the front retaining
portion.
[0014] A light emitting member, preferably an LED strip, connected
to the side retaining portion rearwardly of the transparent panel
and the light transmissive substrate. There can preferably be an
opaque back panel disposed rearwardly of the light emitting member.
The opaque member can include a reflective coating to reflect light
from the light emitting member back toward the transparent panel
and the light transmissive substrate.
[0015] Another embodiment is directed to an illuminated display
mirror, which includes a frame having panel receiving area defined
by a front retaining portion and a side retaining portion extending
rearwardly from the front retaining portion, a transparent panel of
a size and configuration to be held within the panel receiving area
and having a highly reflective coating at least partially on a
surface thereof and at least part of the surface free of any
reflective coating and defining an image receiving area and when
the transparent panel is held within the frame said indicia is
covered by the front retaining portion. A light transmissive
substrate has a printed image thereon, the substrate of a size and
configuration to be held within the panel receiving area adjacent
the transparent panel and a has perimeter surface area having a
registration indicia formed thereon corresponding to a top and
connecting side dimension of the transparent panel for registering
said printed image in the image receiving area and when the light
transmissive substrate is held within the frame. A light emitting
member connects to the side retaining portion rearwardly of the
transparent panel and the light transmissive substrate.
[0016] Still another embodiment is directed to an illuminated
display mirror, which includes a frame having panel receiving area
defined by a front retaining portion and a side retaining portion
extending rearwardly from the front retaining portion. A
transparent panel of a size and configuration is provided to be
held within the panel receiving area and has a highly reflective
coating at least partially on a surface thereof and at least part
of the surface free of any reflective coating and defining an image
receiving area and when the transparent panel is held within the
frame the indicia is covered by the front retaining portion and
paint is deposed upon the back of the transparent material on the
second surface free of the reflective coating. A light emitting
member connected to the side retaining portion rearwardly of the
transparent panel and the light transmissive substrate.
[0017] The above and yet other objects and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set
forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of
the Invention and Claims appended herewith.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1a is an exploded view of the present integrated mirror
and graphics display system.
[0019] FIG. 1b is an exploded view of another aspect of the present
integrated mirror and graphics display system.
[0020] FIG. 1c is an exploded view of still another version of the
present integrated mirror and graphics display system.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional assembly view of the
system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Referring now to the drawings, the invention is directed to
an illuminated display mirror which is generally designated by the
numeral 10. The mirror 10 has a frame 12 having panel receiving
area 14 defined by a front retaining portion 16 and a side
retaining portion 18 extending rearwardly from the front retaining
portion 16, wherein the front portion 16 and side portion 18 can be
integrally formed together. Frame 12 can be made of wood, plastic,
or metal. Frame 12 may be rectangle, square, radius or combination.
The profile (shape) of the frame 12 may vary except it must have a
ledge (rabbit) or slot (i.e., panel receiving area 14) for
attaching the components described herein.
[0023] A transparent panel 20 is provided of a size and
configuration to be held within the panel receiving area 14 and has
a highly reflective coating 22 at least partially coated on a
surface 24 thereof and at least part 26 of the surface 24 free of
any reflective coating and defining a non-reflective image
receiving area 28. The transparent panel 20 further includes a
perimeter surface area 30 free of any reflective coating.
[0024] A registration indicia 32 can be formed on the perimeter
surface area 30 (which is representative of the area in which to
receive the registration indicia 32 and may or may not include the
reflective coating) as a function of the image receiving area 28
and when the transparent panel 20 is held within the frame 12, the
indicia 32 is covered by the front retaining portion 16. The
registration indicia 32 will be part of a non-coated area of the
perimeter surface area 30 and may optionally include a print
marking in such non-coated area.
[0025] The transparent panel 20 can include a sheet of
substantially transparent material such as a sheet of glass. The
transparent panel 20 which is coated with highly reflective coating
can have the non-reflective image receiving area 28 either not
coated with the reflective material or the reflective coating can
be removed via solvent washing providing the non-reflective image
receiving area 28. The non-reflective image receiving area 28 may
be of a desired predetermined size.
[0026] A light transmissive substrate 34 is provided having a
printed image 36 thereon. The light transmissive substrate 34 is of
a size and configuration to be held within the panel receiving area
14 adjacent the transparent panel 20 and a has perimeter surface
area 38 having a corresponding registration indicia 40 formed
thereon for registering the printed image 36 in the image receiving
area 28 and when the light transmissive substrate 34 is held within
the frame 12 the corresponding registration indicia 40 and
registration indicia 32 mate and are covered by the front retaining
portion 16.
[0027] In the case of FIG. 1b, the registration indicia 40 can be
dotted lines formed on the light transmissive substrate 34 which
can serve as cut lines. In this way, the light transmissive
substrate 34 can register with a corner of the transparent panel
20.
[0028] In FIG. 1c, paint can be applied in registration on the
transparent panel 20 using a registration technique. In this case,
a computer based device 50 can be equipped with optics 52 which is
operably connected to a flat printer 54. The corner sides of
transparent panel 20 can be measured relative to the image
receiving area 28, and print applied to thereto using the
equipment.
[0029] The printed image 36 can be formed on the light transmissive
substrate 34 (film or panel) using a variety of printing methods
including screen printing, digital printing, laser printing or
offset printing. The printed image 36 may range from simple spot
color to full color process up to photographic quality. Instead of
direct printing to a film or panel, an intermediary sheet may be
printed and mounted to light transmissive substrate 34. The printed
image 36 can be smaller, equal to, or larger, than the
non-reflective image receiving area 28.
[0030] The printed image 36 is registered to the reflective
transparent panel 20 by a registration method incorporated when
printing the light transmissive substrate 34. This provides a high
degree of accuracy mating the clear image receiving area 28 to the
printed image 36. It is contemplated that the printed image may
take the form of either a sheet with print and/or printing directly
upon transparent panel 20. The printed image 36 can be
customer-specific information.
[0031] The light transmissive substrate 34 can be held in contact
with the reflective transparent panel 20 by friction, tape,
adhesive or with another light transmissive back panel. The light
transmissive substrate 34 and reflective transparent panel 20
combination can be held in place with glazing pints, clips,
retaining strips, caulk, glue, brackets, screws, pins or other
suitable method of temporary or permanent attachment.
[0032] A light emitting member 42, preferably an LED strip, is
connected to the side retaining portion 18 rearwardly of the
transparent panel 20 and the light transmissive substrate 34. It is
contemplated that the light emitting member 42 can be connected to
back panel 46. The light emitting strip 42 (LEDs) within the
geometry shown in FIG. 1 has been found to be highly desirable
illumination for purposes of the present invention. An electrical
cord 44 operably connects to the LED strip 42 for an external AC
power source, however, batteries may also be provided, optionally
internal to the matrix of LEDs, as the illumination element.
[0033] LED's 42 can be attached to the inside of the side portion
18 of the frame 12. The frame 12 can also be constructed to allow a
mounting surface that will project the LED at an upward or downward
angle. The side portion 18 can serve as a ledge or include a slot
to receive the reflective transparent panel 20 and light
transmissive substrate 34. LED's 42 (including LED circuit board,
LED Strips, and LED SMD (self-mounting diodes)) which can be
attached to frame 12 mechanically or with adhesive or other
attachment methods.
[0034] There back panel 46 can preferably be opaque disposed
rearwardly of the light emitting member 42. The opaque back panel
member 46 can include a reflective coating to reflect light from
the light emitting member 42 back toward the transparent panel 20
and the light transmissive substrate 34.
[0035] While there has been shown and described the preferred
embodiment of the instant invention it is to be appreciated that
the invention may be embodied otherwise than is herein specifically
shown and described and that, within said embodiment, certain
changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts
without departing from the underlying ideas or principles of this
invention as set forth in the Claims appended herewith.
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